Handle with Care
by Phosphorescent
Summary: "A normal person would be a little bit concerned right about now, what with a clearly pissed-off assassin preparing to choke them and all. Fortunately, Anthony DiNozzo isn't what you'd call a normal person." The AU interrogation scene from 9x14: "Life Before His Eyes." Appropriate for shippers and non-shippers alike.


_Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS.  
_

_A/N: This fic has been in the works ever since I saw "Life Before His Eyes." Despite my best intentions, however, it ended up collecting figurative dust on my hard drive until the script for some cut scenes from that episode emerged online, re-inspiring me. A large portion of the dialogue in this fic is lifted from the interrogation scene in 9x14 and from the script located on the amazing alyssinmymind's tumbler. I don't really know you, but thank you for sharing that script with us, alyssinmymind!  
_

* * *

"Be careful of this one," Leon warns him. "I know her father well. To say she's dangerous is an understatement."

Tony smirks. How bad can she be?

"Dangerous women are my specialty, Leon," Tony reminds him, holding up his left hand, wedding band serving as proof of his ability to tame even the most abrasive of women.

"Oh, I'm familiar with your 'specialty,' Tony," Leon says dryly, and Tony briefly wonders at something in the man's inflection.

But he shakes it off and enters Interrogation.

There she sits. Ziva David. The "sharp end" of Mossad Director Eli David's spear and a contradiction in terms; suspected of aiding and abetting known terrorist Ari Haswari, and also suspected of assassinating a terrorist cell handler on US soil. Add in the fact that NCIS suspects her of killing several US seamen, and confusing doesn't even begin to describe this woman.

Show time.

Leisurely strolling around to face her, he says, "I remember you. Riva. Visa. No no no no no, _Tiva_."

The woman in front of him sighs and says in husky, accented English, "Ziva. My name is Ziva David."

She smells of exotic, faraway lands, and her voice only adds to that impression. She is a panther, Tony thinks idly; sleek, powerful, stealthy… deadly.

Tony chuckles casually. "Ah, yeah. Ziva, the icy Israeli. I followed you to a hotel pool once."

David blows a lock of wild hair away from her face, and says in bored, supercilious tones, "Clearly I made an impression. I cannot say the same about you."

Kate had sworn that he was intimidated by David, but Tony knew better. David might be dangerous, but Tony had cut his eyeteeth on dangerous women in the field; hell, he'd _married_ one.

"Well, that was kinda the _point_," he says calmly. "I was following you, and making an impression would've blown that plan right out of the water."

She watches him through narrowed eyes without even a hint of a smile; a tough one, then. Good. Tony likes a challenge.

Seating himself on the table by her side, he proceeds to lean backwards and survey her, the faintest of smiles playing at his lips.

After a few moments of silence pass, he says conversationally, "So, what have you been up to lately? Besides killing American servicemen, I mean. Huh. Do you need a special passport for that?"

Tony has been told that he is excellent at being irritating, and his interrogation technique frequently capitalizes on that. David may be an ice-cold ninja, but even _she_ can't be immune to the patented DiNozzo blend of aggravation and charm.

Gaze bored, David retorts coolly, "Do not embarrass yourself by asking inane questions."

Tony smiles in his best too-cheery fashion.

"Actually, being inane is a DiNozzo strong point," he informs her.

"DiNozzo," David murmurs, brow furrowing. A few seconds later, she snaps her fingers and says, "Of course. I remember telling my colleagues back home you were not the sharpest knife in the shed."

"It's 'tool in the shed,'" Tony says, smiling fixedly.

David sighs and responds, "Must we talk about your _tools_, Agent DiNozzo?"

Her tone is disinterested, but there is something at once impudent and suggestive in her eyes.

His smile broadens.

"We're not going to talk about me at all," he tells her, opening the file that he carried in. "You're about to be interrogated by the best, sweetheart."

David snorts and examines her fingernails. "Obviously your idea of interrogation is very different than ours," she murmurs.

Tony raises an eyebrow at the riposte, then leans in towards her.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours," he says affably. "We're allies, right?"

David gains a look of concentration on her face and she leans forward a bit too. It looks as though she is seriously considering taking him up on his offer.

Then – in a move so fast that he doesn't see it coming – she lunges upwards and drapes her cuffs around his neck, pulling him in towards her.

She is so close that if he leaned in even the slightest bit, their lips and noses would be touching. As it is, he can feel the heat coming off of her skin. David may be icy in demeanor, but certainly not in person.

"I could kill you right now," she hisses in a low voice.

And he doesn't doubt her. The cool metal of her chains digs into his neck and her eyes bore into his.

Heart pounding, adrenaline rushing through his veins, Tony feels _alive_. And – somewhat perversely – he's thrilled to have broken through David's placid shell. _This_ is the woman that he knew existed somewhere under that calm, mocking gaze. _This_ is the woman that he wants to interrogate.

A normal person would be a little bit concerned right about now, what with a clearly pissed-off assassin preparing to choke them and all. But Anthony DiNozzo isn't exactly what you'd call a normal person; this is what he expects; this is what he thrives off of.

So he cocks his (previously carefully concealed) Sig and levels it straight at her temple.

Keeping his voice casual, he says, "Weapons aren't usually allowed in Interrogation. But I thought for a Mossad officer, I should make an exception."

She raises an eyebrow, reluctantly impressed.

"I have been told I am exceptional," she states. Her tone is softly matter-of-fact, but her eyes contain a self-assured smirk that goes straight to his groin.

(He's always liked his women bold, brash, and just a little bit cocky. (Hey, he may be married, but he isn't dead.))

"What a coincidence," Tony replies. "So have I. So what exactly are you exceptional at, Officer David?"

She chuckles and the sound is dark and velvety.

Moving in closer to him – now so close that he can feel her breath ghosting across his face, her curves pressing against his chest – she purrs, "_That_ is on a need to know basis, Agent DiNozzo."

"And if I said I needed to know?" he inquires cheekily.

She smiles and replies, "I would say that you are just trying to charm me in order to get me to talk."

Now it is Tony's turn to smirk.

"Is it working?" he asks.

"It is certainly not a method we would use on Hamas operatives," she murmurs in response.

Her gaze is dark and almost predatory.

He is reminded again of a panther stalking its prey. It's like one of those nature shows – _the female wildcat prepares to pounce: whether to kill or to mate, it is unclear._

David's tongue flicks out to moisten her lips and against his will, his eyes are drawn to it.

He shifts in ever-so-slightly towards her and her chin lifts.

"As allies, we should make an effort to get along," he tells her smoothly.

Her lips curve upwards in a smile redolent of secrets and she says, "What are you suggesting?"

"A little exchange of intelligence. Quid pro quo, Clarisse," he murmurs. "Quid pro quo."

"Is this a common thing, you forgetting women's names?"

Her tone is irked.

"_The Silence of the Lambs_," he explains.

She frowns and asks, "Is that code for something? Because I fail to see how lambs – silent or otherwise – are significant."

"It's a movie. The famous 1991 thriller starring the character Hannibal Lector?" he prompts her. "Won Oscars in all five top categories? 'I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti?'"

She looks at him blankly, then says, "Chianti and fava beans do not go well together."

"That's what you take from it," he mutters disbelievingly, shaking his head. "What do they _teach_ you in Israel?"

"How to survive," she retorts. "Which clearly your countrymen could use some lessons on."

"Are you offering to teach?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

"A teacher is only as good as her pupils," she responds. "Are you offering to learn under me, Agent DiNozzo?"

He has just opened his mouth to reply when the interrogation room door suddenly bursts open and Leon steps on through.

If the man is surprised to see Tony and David in their current position, he doesn't show it.

"Officer David, Agent DiNozzo," he says calmly.

"Director Vance," David returns with a small nod, as though this is an everyday occurrence for her. (Who knows? Perhaps it is.)

Leon gestures towards the door. "Agent DiNozzo, if I could have a private word with you."

"Of course, Director," Tony says. "Officer David, if you will excuse me for a minute…"

She nods graciously and removes the chain from around his neck.

Lowering his gun, he follows Leon out into the hallway and closes the door.

"I'm not even gonna ask," Leon says with a sigh. After a brief pause, he says, "Orders have come down from on high. Cut David loose, Tony."

"What?" Tony sputters.

"You heard me," Leon says.

"You know as well as I do that David is responsible for those deaths on the Orion," Tony says, "and now we're supposed to just let her go?"

"Not my decision," Leon says heavily. "Mossad has been exerting pressure on us, and without any hard evidence linking her to the crime…"

"So we're just going to cave?" Tony asks incredulously. "Since when do we do that?"

"Since SecNav orders it. Mossad is eager to free David and the last thing we need in the current political climate is ill will and bad press from the Israelis. Cut her loose, Tony."

Tony frowns, but gives a sharp nod of reluctant acquiescence.

He strolls back into Interrogation and tells David, "Well, Officer David, I guess today's your lucky day."

"Oh?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep. Daddy dearest has secured your release. You're free to go."

Her lips tighten.

Interesting.

"Do you plan on unlocking my handcuffs before I go?" she asks dryly.

"Can I trust you not to strangle me if I get close enough to unlock them?" Tony retorts.

A smile curves at her lips and she says, "You cannot trust anyone, Agent DiNozzo. _But_ I promise not to strangle you."

He is aware that she has left out the many other ways that she could undoubtedly kill him. Still, he doesn't think he's likely to get a better deal.

So he digs the small key out of his pocket and walks over to her. She raises her wrists to chest level and he sets about fitting the key into the finicky lock.

A bonus? Focusing on unlocking the handcuffs doesn't prevent him from appreciating her cleavage.

With a quiet _click_ one of the handcuffs pops open.

David could probably unlock the other cuff on her own. Nonetheless, he sets about undoing this one as well.

_Click_.

The room is silent and the air is oddly heavy as they stand near one another, gazes interlocked.

"Until the next time, then, Officer David," he says at last, opening the Interrogation door for her.

"L'hitraot, Agent DiNozzo," she says, brushing past him and out the door.


End file.
